Your makeup may be making you sick

Coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath and fatigue — maybe there's a typical cause like a cold or an allergy flare-up. But perhaps the answer isn't right in front of you, it's on you.

The Centre for Science and Environment, a nonprofit public interest research and advocacy organizations based in New Delhi, India, released a study in January that examined the effects of makeup containing heavy metals, which includes most major brands, and found them to have adverse effects to the body and its well-being.

“Lead is the biggest culprit,” said Dr. John Salerno of The Salerno Center in New York. “However, we advise all our patients to shop for organic makeup, free of metals and chemicals.”

Salerno, an author, lecturer and radio host, has been working to uncover and counteract the harmful effects of metal toxins for more than 25 years. He devotes much of his time and energy educating the public and his patients, and is seeing a growing trend of makeup artists and wearers going green.

“People are starting to look at labels and paying attention to what goes onto their skin,” Salerno said. “We must get as label savvy with our makeup as we have become with our food.”

Salerno said his center does a lot of testing and finds that heavy metals in makeup can contribute to such conditions as acne, wrinkles, memory loss, mood swings, headaches and cardiovascular and neurological problems because skin absorbs what's applied to it, including heavy metals and toxins, which have the potential of entering the bloodstream.

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“I see too many chemicals in makeup that just shouldn't be there,” Salerno said. “We find lipsticks are the main culprits with many containing lead and, people lick their lips and swallow.”

Freelance makeup artist Lindsey Rivera always has been dedicated to using cosmetics not tested on animals. She's also become an avid label reader and is transitioning to organic makeup.

“I'll also use alternatives like essential oils instead of moisturizers,” said Rivera, a Los Angeles resident. “I like to use natural products whenever I can.”

Currently, organic makeup can be difficult to find in brick-and-mortar stores so Rivera turns to the Internet, where she found Vapour Organic Beauty, which contains no toxic chemicals, parabens, phthalates, gluten, animal testing, nanoparticles or irradiation.

“I always try new brands on myself before any of my clients,” she said. “It can be overwhelming to switch your makeup all at once. Start with lipstick — that's an easy place to start — and start reading labels. It's like food. If there's an ingredient in there that you don't understand, it's probably not good for you.”

Gaudy Prentiss, named Best Makeup Artist in the Inland Empire in 2011 in a poll conducted by Inland Empire Magazine, shared that for everyday wear, mineral foundation is the best choice. Mineral foundation comes in dry powder forms, loose and pressed, liquid-to-powder formulas and light liquid mixtures. Mineral makeup is touted to have skin benefits ranging from minimizing redness and irritation, to giving extra sun protection.

“It's true that titanium dioxide in mineral makeup can act as an effective physical sunblock — in addition to whatever SPF is noted on the packaging. Incidentally, minerals have always been in cosmetic items,” said Gaudy Prentiss. “That is nothing new. What is new is the removal of a lot of the 'fillers' that have typically been included in foundations. That makes the mineral makeup on the market today more exciting.”

Gaudy Prentiss launched her own line of cosmetics, Tina G. Cosmetics, in 2007, and was one of the makeup artists on the first season of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.”

She had one more piece of advice on thick makeup, which usually contains fillers and additives. “Ditch anything with the name 'studio' in it and steer clear of makeup that claims to be 'full-coverage,'” ” she recommended. “In all my years as an artist, I have never met a real live person that should wear makeup that heavy.”

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